COUNCIL chiefs today vowed to draw up a new policy on roadside shrines after their workmen threw away poignant tributes to a teenager killed in a hit-and-run.

The Birmingham Mail revealed how mementoes left at the scene of a crash which killed 17-year-old Scott Poll had been collected and dumped.

Sandwell Council bereavement services manager Brendan Day said today that workers had painstakingly sifted through several tonnes of rubbish in an effort to recover tributes left in memory of Scott, who was struck by a taxi in Hollyhedge Road, Stone Cross, West Bromwich, on February 26.

Mr Day said: "Regrettably, none of the tributes were recovered. I have spoken to Scott's father, Arthur Poll, to advise the family of this.

"An investigation is going on into how this tragic error came about and I will give the details to the family as soon as possible."

Mr Day added: "In view of the stress this has caused, we are now going to formulate a policy on roadside shrines in an effort to keep families informed in future."

Scott's distraught girlfriend, 17-year-old Lauren Berridge, visited the scene of the tragedy to lay a fresh wreath after the Sandwell Council bungle.

Scott, an avid West Bromwich Albion fan who worked in Bomber's Bar at The Hawthorns on match days, was walking home when he was struck by the taxi.

The vehicle, driven by father-of-six Ghulam Hussain, of Grange Road, West Bromwich, dragged Scott a mile to his death, with his body finally coming to rest in Hall Green Road.

Hussain, 44, walked into West Bromwich police station three days later and has since been charged with Scott's manslaughter.

Arthur Poll was left fuming after the tributes, including West Bromwich Albion shirts carrying emotional messages from Scott's friends, were dumped by workmen from the council just days after hundreds of mourners attended the popular young-ster's funeral.

He called for whoever was responsible to be sacked and accused Sandwell Council workmen of adding to the family's grief.

Arthur added: "I am absolutely disgusted by this whole affair. And I don't believe workers sifted through tonnes of rubbish looking for the tributes because I was told they were taken straight to an incinerator."